Uncharted

Commissioned by the After Belonging Agency for the DOGA Norwegian Center for Design and Architecture, this interactive installation translated decades of satellite telemetry into a physical spatial experience. The work focused on kinetic prototyping and data physicalization, exploring how the geographical distribution of Landsat satellite surveys could be mapped into continuous mechanical motion. Translating abstract orbital data into a tangible array required bridging digital datasets with physical hardware systems.

The core architecture consisted of a kinetic array of 45 physical globes, each engineered to rotate in constant motion. The system was programmed so that each globe completed one full revolution corresponding to a single orbit of the Landsat satellites. This required developing a control system capable of driving multiple independent actuators simultaneously while maintaining precise synchronization. The hardware and software integration mapped historical survey data from 1972 to 2016, translating numerical orbital parameters into continuous, calibrated rotational speeds across the entire installation.

Operating a dense array of kinetic elements required mitigating mechanical drift and ensuring long-term reliability for a public exhibition. Synchronizing 45 independent globes to accurately reflect specific orbital timelines introduced constraints around motor control and timing precision. Iteration focused on calibrating the rotational speeds to ensure the physical movement accurately represented the underlying dataset without falling out of phase. The control architecture had to be robust enough to run continuously throughout the duration of the exhibition while maintaining strict alignment with the historical satellite survey distribution.

The completed installation was exhibited at the DOGA Norwegian Center for Design and Architecture, operating continuously from September to November. The project's approach to data physicalization and kinetic design was externally recognized, earning a Silver Medal at the European Design Awards. Additional documentation and digital components of the system were made accessible via uncharted.ooo, providing further context on the evolution of the Landsat survey system over the decades.